Here are sewing instructions to make a party dress for Bitty Baby dolls; it will also fit 15 to 18 inch cloth dolls such as Raggedy Ann and Madeline. To see the pattern for this dress look here.

This pattern is my own design and is for your personal use. It may not be reproduced commercially.All pattern pieces include a 1/4 inch seam allowance and are shown on a 1/2 inch grid. To copy the pattern by hand you can create a 1/2 inch grid by measuring every half inch and making a pencil dot all the way down and across, on both sides of a piece of 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Then use your ruler or straight edge to connect the dots with your pencil. Then draw the pattern lines into each square of your grid, exactly as they are shown in my design.

To begin, pin and stitch the dress yoke front to the back pieces at the shoulder seams with right sides together. To make the collar and attach it to the dress follow the directions in this article: Putting Stand Up Collars on Doll Dresses. The size of the piece of tulle for the collar is 30 inches by 2 inches. After the collar is in place, cut a piece of the white ribbon 11 1/2 inches long and stitch it around the outside of the neck, using small stitches and white thread.

After the collar is in place, hem both sleeves. Using a long basting stitch, gather the curved, shoulder edge of both sleeves and ease to fit them to the shoulders of the dress, matching the center fold line of the sleeves with the shoulder seams. Stitch in place with right sides together and clip curves. Sew the side seams from the waist to the wrist.

Baste the tulle for the skirt to the right side of the skirt. From this point on the tulle and skirt will be treated as one piece. Baste the waist of the skirt and gather it. Pin the skirt to the bodice at the waist, right sides facing, easing the skirt to fit the bodice around the waist. Stitch the skirt to the bodice.

Pin the center back seam with he waist seams matching. Start stitching the center back seam 1 inch above the waist and stitch down to the bottom.

At the top end of the center back seam turn under the seam allowance on both sides 1/4 inch, twice, and tack it down. Place a snap, hook and eye or velcro dot at neck edge to close.